Who is Julian Castro?

Julian Castro is a well-known politician from Texas. He was the mayor of San Antonio, Texas from 2009 to 2014. He also served on the Cabinet of former President Barack Obama as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017.

His twin brother, Joaquin Castro, is also a well-known Texan politician. He served as the Representative for Texas’s 125th district in the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013. He has been the Congressman for the 20th district of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives since he was elected in 2013.

About the New PAC

Opportunity First PAC logo

Julian Castro launched his own PAC on the 2nd of January. PAC, or political action committee, is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a group formed (as by an industry or an issue-oriented organization) to raise and contribute money to the campaigns of candidates likely to advance the group’s interests.”

The PAC, Opportunity First, was introduced with three goals in mind. They are to gain Democratic control of the House of Representatives, making progress in state legislatures before redistricting in 2021, and electing young politicians into office. With the 2018 midterms drawing closer and closer, the PAC is sure to influence younger Democrats to toss their hats into the political arena.

Opportunity First has already helped a few candidates. Colin Allred is one such candidate. He is a former NFL linebacker and civil rights attorney. Allred is running against Pete Sessions in the 32nd district of Texas, which span across northeastern Dallas. The PAC has also helped two candidates for the Virginia General Assembly.

Impacts on Castro and Candidates

Many have wondered if Castro will run for president in 2020. Launching this political action committee is a sure way to garner support from young Democrats and those interested in running themselves.

Opportunity First will also have a large impact on the races in which young Democrats are running. It will allow more Democrats to run in districts they didn’t have a chance to before. It will also influence young people to pay attention to and thus gain interest in politics and government. Castro’s PAC is great for the future of the Democratic party.

An Overview

Julian Castro’s new political action committee, Opportunity First, will allow for the base of the Democratic Party to grow and include the youngest of the country’s politicians. It will also push for young people to become interested in politics and government. With more and more young people gaining interest in politics, they will be encouraged to run for office and promote the ideas they believe in.

An eighteen year old Lincoln-Douglas debater who fell in love with politics and never looked back. I'm a left-leaning senior in high school hoping to inspire other young people to become involved with local, state, and national politics.